“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.” – Lawrence Clark Powell

Archive for the tag “strategy”

Job seekers are finding that the culture of a workplace is extremely important. I am not just talking about employee relations and fun events, rather I am stressing the importance of how the company views leaders. Glassdoor is a website and app that provides reviews for companies nationwide. I downloaded the app and am able to search jobs and companies in any city. Once I find a company, I am taken to a Glassdoor page that gives it an overall rating out of 5 stars. The rating is compiled of anonymous reviews that share experiences. Each review includes a rating on recommendation, positive/negative outlook, and opinion of CEO.

The highest ranking companies have consistent positive outlooks of the CEO. Review titles are usually “Great place to work!” “Great Executives!” “Opportunity for growth!” The places where employees are encouraged to work hard and grow into new opportunities are the most appealing. The upward mobility is a result of a productive environment instilled by leaders upholding the company’s values. The leaders of the company have a vision for their purpose, and they know how to motivate all employees to continue working hard. A leader’s vision that is shared by all employees makes all the difference when evaluating a workplace.

Leadership is an interesting concept in that anyone can have the qualities of a leader. Sure, there are some who seem to be “born to lead” with natural confidence and enthusiasm for success. However, there is not some cookie-cutter mold that every leader must follow. While it is important to have skill sets with management qualities (organization, planning, working with budgets), a leader should have behavioral qualities that encourage a company to constantly grow and improve. For example, leaders in communications understand that technology and social media have changed the way companies share information to their audiences. Those who are hesitant to adopt a social media platform or use mobile media are falling behind. Leaders look to the future with confidence, and reassure the team that it is worth it to make changes for the better of the company.

One of the most admirable traits of a leader’s vision is the fact that it is driven by motivation. Leaders do not give up and do not distract themselves from the ultimate goal. In a world where many people are instructed to make “safe” decisions or choose a “stable lifestyle” instead of taking a chance, it is easy to give up on a dream. A leader never loses sight of the final destination, rather, he/she reroutes the direction to get there. Wendy Kopp founded one of the most well-known, valuable organizations, Teach for America, during a time when no one would have dreamed successful college graduates would want to work in lower income level parts of the country. Her perseverance lead to the success of the organization, and it inspired associates to work to make a difference in the lives of others.

Actions matter

Benjamin Zander announced that when he finished his TED Talk, everyone in the building would have a better understanding and love for classical music. He made it a point to express he had no doubt in his mind it would work, claiming that visions can be realized if the leader and team both believe it. His example: “What if Martin Luther King, Jr. said ‘I have a dream! Although I’m not sure they’ll be up to it…” really stood out because MLK Jr. was out to do the impossible. There were so many odds against him, yet he never faltered in front of the crowd. He knew that if he wanted his dream realized, he had to believe it would be realized and he would take every chance he got to achieve it. The support from the crowds helped his cause because they trusted him and admired his vision. It didn’t matter how hard the road was as long as they had something to hope for.

Everyone has a passion for something. Some people are passionate about writing or theatre, and want to share their stories with the world. Others want to do a good job in their work, perhaps because they really enjoy the purpose their work or because they really enjoy taking care of their loved ones. Those who follow their passions without failure are the leaders. How they handle negative outcomes or intense pressure makes all the difference in the quality of leadership. What I am figuring out as I continue life after undergrad is that the field you work in is so important. Working in a field that you are interested in, that excites you, and ignites a passion in you will make you work harder. You will find that every action you make will ultimately work toward reaching success, and you will want others to succeed alongside you.

Steve Jobs

Now that we are all feeling inspired, let’s put this leadership vision in a work setting. Think about the goal of the organization and how each work task gets the team one step closer to that goal. Ensure each employee is properly trained in their position. Encourage everyone to keep putting all of their efforts into their work by reminding them of their purpose. Customer satisfaction cannot happen if the right kind and number of products are not available, if a customer service representative is rude, or if public information isn’t updated. Be someone who thinks strategically about what each department of an organization brings to the company as a whole. Open the floor to new ideas from everyone. What is working well and what can be improved?

Leaders should trust that their leadership is effective enough to continue without their presence. If employees are trained on what they need to do and educated on why they need to do it, a leader won’t have to breathe over each person’s shoulder to ensure everything is working. Jerry Porras discusses visionary companies: those that are high performing and have endured over the years. Visionary companies are known to make an impact on human culture. He brings up the fact that leaders make companies great while they are present and this greatness last even when they are gone. The leader that builds an organization on all things it needs to be successful is ultimately the most effective leader.

Leaders work for a cause greater than themselves. It is not all about glory and self-fulfillment. Having a vision is a powerful tool for a leader because it encourages hard work and dedication. Leaders that encourage their team with motivation, open discussions, and a positive work environment will drive organizations to lasting success.

“The worst leader is one who is despised.
Next, one who is feared.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
When the best leader works, people are hardly
aware he/she exists.
When the work is done, people say,
‘Amazing. We did it all by ourselves!’”
-Lao Tse; Tao te Ching

Happy Halloween! Are you celebrating offline and online? There are tons of companies taking advantage of posting Halloween themed messages on social media!

Social media has made it easier for companies and organizations to connect with their consumers. One would think a public relations professional would have it easy, too, right? When you look closer at different company Facebook pages or Twitter accounts, you will see that most of the popular pages feature the company responding back to fans even in the latest hours of the day. Successful social media pages are those that are made up of strategic daily posts. Public relations professionals, as well as professional communicators, must constantly have access to all media sites to ensure customer satisfaction.

A story on Walmart costumes went viral this week when online users posted screenshots of Walmart’s official website that listed the category of “Fat Girl Costumes.” Post after post shared the image along with disdain from customers. The category has since been taken down, but the screenshots will live on the Internet forever. When Walmart was off of the cyber world for even a minute, this story spread before they could do anything to stop it. Walmart issued an official apology, and has been busy apologizing to individual users on its Twitter account. This issue was a result of negligence, and it was enough to make a wide audience angry. Someone representing Walmart is constantly updating the Twitter page and responding to each user’s tweets.

Walmart’s Facebook page features select products that customers can comment on or share. I noticed that even a customer simply stating “I love this product!” will get a reply from an official Walmart representative. These representatives are trying to ignite conversations with customers in order to build that relationship between company and consumer. However, on each product picture, there are users who choose to post negative feedback. Sometimes the feedback has nothing to do with the picture posted, but Walmart still tries to respond by giving a link to their feedback site.

An article titled “Corporate Facebook Pages: When “fans” attack” states that “negative complaints, personal insults or incriminating gossip make far bigger impacts on us than do positive comments.” If a company is under fire for a negative post, product, or error, there will always be those who choose to hold on to it. It is important for strategic communicators to develop and sincere apologies, as well as make genuine connections with customers. Customers do not want to feel their complaints go unnoticed, and especially do not want to support a company who claims nothing bad ever happened. Listening comes into play on the Internet, even if it is a conversation through typing. If a customer has a complaint, it is the responsibility of a representative to completely read the complaint, interpret exactly what the issue is, think progressively on how to fix the issue and ensure it does not happen in the future, and then respond fully to the customer.

Companies do best when they have a unique branding strategy on social media. YouTube has become a popular site where videos go viral and are seen by millions of people around the world. These videos go viral because they are interesting, unique, entertaining, or attract the attention of taste-makers that will share it. Strategic communicators should want the best possible image for their organization on such a powerful platform. The possibilities for a viral video are endless. For example, Tom Dickson, the CEO of Blendtec, used YouTube to create a series called “Will it Blend?” where he places a variety of objects (including an iPhone) in his blenders, turns the blenders on, and watches what happens to the objects. There are enough people in this world willing to witness the destruction of valuable objects at their own amusement, and Dickson successfully got his name and his product out to the masses.

Will it blend?

Strategic communicators must think about their products when posting on social media. What does their product do or what is it used for? Who is using it? Understanding their audience is key on social media because the audience varies. The audience could consist of consumers, clients, employers, and job seekers. It is important to be able to create content that appeals to the masses, and that is concise enough to post quickly and daily. Sometimes an elaborate story gets looked over if someone is seeking out specific information, which is why Twitter’s character limit can be used to an organization’s advantage. There are also third party apps such as Google Alerts that allow businesses to search within social media sites and receive alerts when their content is viewed. Businesses can use this data to figure out what types of posts get the most views, and adjust their communication plan accordingly.

While looking at companies during a job search, I notice that most company Facebook and Twitter pages include group shots of the staff working together. The staff is bunched together at conferences or even community service events. This shows me that the company culture is important to them because they spend time at events together, and look like they are enjoying it. Social media is not only effective for promoting a product, but for promoting the business as a whole. There is so much talent out there, and companies know that the more information about they can share out in the open, the more enticing their company looks to job seekers. Company blogs are excellent tools to show off all accomplishments. Reading a post that a company just received an award or was featured on a “Best Places to Work” list increases my interest in learning more about the company.

I was viewing a twitter account that is dedicated to posting jobs North Carolina and found that the account was live tweeting an awards ceremony. With each announcement of a winner, the twitter handle also included a link to the official website and stated whether or not they were hiring. I was able to access so many different companies in the area because of this event. The twitter account helped get business names out there I never would have heard of otherwise.

There is a lot to keep up with when using social media as a PR tool for an organization, but leaders with a strong online presence will reap the benefits of online connectivity. As long as posts are informative, professional, and sincere, customers will continue their interest and support for a company.

I started this blog 10 weeks ago for my Emerging Media class as part of my Masters of Science in Strategic Communications program. My posts centered on new media platforms that strategic communicators must adopt in order to succeed in the professional world. Now it is time to look at the leaders who are pushing forward with new technologies. This week I have just begun a new class: Leadership and Media Strategies. Leaders know that hiding behind the “We’ve always done it this way” attitude will do more harm than good.

We are in a world that is constantly on the verge of adopting the next big thing! I will discuss how communication has changed and the benefits and challenges of these changes. I will be sure to include links to weekly readings discussed in class. As a reminder, if you wish to follow or bookmark my blog the address is:

We will begin discussion of leadership and media strategies with a frequently referenced theory: Diffusion of Innovations. Dr. Everett M. Rogers defines diffusion as “the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system.” Basically how do ideas not only spread, but stay relevant? There are multiple moving parts to diffusion. First, knowledge of a new innovation must reach an audience. Then after being persuaded to use that innovation, a member of the audience decides to accept it, implement it into his or her own life, and evaluate its results. Sharing information and persuasive results is done through a number of communication channels such as commercials, social media postings, news stories, and peer-to-peer conversations. Think of the amount of trends that have made their way into our lives, and how certain products had to adapt or be forgotten? One example in the journalism world that I talked about in my first post was how newspapers are moving to online versions and apps.

The way the audience becomes aware of an innovation and decides to use it happens in shifts. This article gives a great summary about each type of user: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards. The titles of these groups are pretty self-explanatory. The innovators are those who are always thinking of the next big thing or next useful tool. Those who adopt this innovation first are the Early adopters, and the the early majority and late majority follow in line after them. Laggards have the traditional view and often see more risk of innovations than benefits. Strategic communicators should know how to reach out to each of these groups in order to for them to accept the innovation. Think about what each group needs and establish a plan to

A business that holds this variety of people on their staff can succeed in releasing a new product or idea because it will go through the whole process internally before reaching the public audience. From the innovators, to those who are ready to accept it, to those who are supportive but may need a little more convincing, to those who want to discuss risks, these employees all help the company to stay grounded and efficient.

When Amazon came out with their Kindle I was pretty much in the laggard category. As an English major and self-titled “biggest lover of books, of all time, ever,” I found the idea of reading a complete novel on a screen repulsive. Why was everyone so obsessed with technology that the value of holding a new book was lost?

My dad and I were Christmas shopping for my mom and I saw an advertisement for the Kindle. I quickly scoffed and said to my dad “I can’t believe that’s a thing. I would never replace a good book with a dumb screen!” My dad just nodded without comment. Well wouldn’t you know it, Christmas morning I open up my last gift and inside is a Kindle. My dad laughed a little bit and said, “Sorry.” My mom defended herself by saying phrases like “I thought it would be perfect because you love books!” and “All the commercials and reviews say it’s so good!” I felt like the worst person, and I was determined to give it a try for the sake of my parents.

Fast forward to today and I have 38 books and counting. I absolutely love it! As soon as I finish one book, I can immediately by another one! It’s especially perfect when reading a series—no mid-trilogy cliffhangers for me! It fits right in my purse, so it is especially perfect for traveling. I realized the benefits of the Kindle and now I recommend it to anyone. Currently, I am trying to convince one of my coworkers to get one because she says she likes reading but always forgets to buy books when she’s out shopping. Stay tuned to see if this peer-to-peer persuasion works.

My personal Kindle: the older version that prevents glare while you read. I love it.

The other point worth mentioning in this story is the fact that age was not the main factor with sticking to tradition here. My parents, who were not born in a technology-centered world, actually accepted this innovation before I did.

Social media is also a key communication channel to spread new ideas. One of my friends posted a picture of herself on Instagram saying she used the “Serena filter” on the Social Light app. Never hearing of this photo editor before, I went to the App Store and typed in the name and sure enough the first version was released October 5th. It only has 41 reviews and all of them are positive. This app has come at the right time because high society city life (re: Gossip Girl) has become a popular online trend. The app is also designed for those who are constantly on-the-go which is also relevant to the fast-paced lifestyle of the new generation. My friend is the first person in my “social circle” to use this app, and based on the amount of comments she already has, she has most likely set the trend. I have no doubt her followers will start downloading the app. How many photo editing apps can one possibly have, you ask? In a world where photography, selfies, and Instagram are dominating hobbies, people will try any new app at least once and see how they like it.

Strategic communicators and leaders must come up with fresh ideas that are relevant and useful to a wide audience. Innovators are constantly reshaping the ways of the world, and some of them that may have seemed so out of the box are regularly used today. Communication through mass media and interpersonal ties is crucial with spreading new innovations.

My name is Rachel, and I am currently working towards a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication through Troy University. I am excited for the opportunity to discuss emerging media through a blog because it provides an opportunity to explore another tool in the digital age. This summer I am interning in the Human Resources department for Shoe Carnival, Inc. as an assistant to the Corporate Recruiter. My primary duties include developing a pool of qualified candidates by reviewing resumes and conducting pre-screen interviews, and recommending the strongest candidates to hiring managers. The most significant factor throughout the hiring process is communication. Relevant written information presented on a resume along with the quality of a phone conversation determine an applicant’s chance at getting the job.

The world of strategic communication and emerging media is constantly expanding. There are so many trends, topics, and cause-and-effect discussions that arise when diving into how emerging media affects today’s world. The purpose of this blog is to contribute to the conversation. Each week I will post on topics relating to strategic communication and emerging media. I will provide sources from articles, journals, and videos in order to comment on the ever pressing digital age, and what it means for society. If there is a hot topic in this field that evokes questions and discussions, I will be blogging about it.

If you are interested in following my weekly updates or would like to join in on the discussion, feel free to bookmark this page at https://rmscib.wordpress.com

Why a blog? Why communication? Emerging media is changing many of the ways we reach out to one another. in 2012 42 million blogs were published in WordPress and 329 million people claimed they viewed a blog. Blogs are becoming increasingly popular due to accessibility and the lack of restriction on length for posting compared to other online sites. Businesses can share information with their consumers, and people can use blogs to express whatever they want and put it in the mercy of millions of strangers on the Internet. Some may find posting on the Web terrifying, while others are too busy updating all of their other apps that put their information into cyberspace.

Digital media has offered hundreds of platforms to keep individuals connected, but are they really communicating?

George Bernard Shaw’s quote is like a punch in the stomach. How many times have I or my peers texted, posted, or shared something without getting the intended message across? I can think of numerous situations in which miscommunication actually amplified what would have otherwise been a small problem. There is a sort of block that comes with digital conversations as opposed to face-to-face or phone conversations. Web-based content is open to interpretation in terms of how the reader establishes tone based on the writer’s word choice or use of punctuation. It is my hope that as I continue with the Strategic Communication program I will learn strategies that I can share on this page in order to improve communication as a whole.

This discussion of digital media raises an essential question: Are traditional media dying?

Traditional media includes television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. Today more people are discovering that for every form of traditional media, there is a digital media format. Online radio, online television, and online news are topping the charts with high consumer demands. With so many options for instant news, one may be quick to think there is no hope for traditional media. However, when the Internet is in a frenzy over the next big story, there is a need for the credibility of traditional media. Traditional media are not giving up the fight just yet, rather they are picking up a new strategy to stay relevant.

I want to start this topic with a personal experience from the beginning of this week. The world was faced with the news of the tragic death of actor Robin Williams. The first word I received about this news was a text message from a friend on Monday evening. Once I read it, I immediately pulled up my Google app on my cell phone and typed “Robin Williams.” Only one article came up stating that the actor was found dead. I refreshed the search results and the article was gone. I refreshed again and there were four articles all claiming he had passed away. My mom was in the room with me, and when I told her the news she grabbed the remote and turned the television to CNN. We waited about ten minutes and sure enough: breaking news announcing his death.

When I think about that sequence of events, I realize how much of an impact digital media has as a source of information. A text message, to a Google search, to an online article was the path I took to confirm the news was true. My mom chose to go straight to television. Each of us had our own method of finding the most credible source, and it is interesting to observe the mediums we chose. There is significance in the fact that my mom is part of a different generation and that she chose television over digital media.

A Pew study found that while television news sources have consistently been the most widespread, only 34% of viewers were younger than 30. In fact, 29% of people under the age of 25 did not receive any news (traditional or digital) in a single day. My mom is in the majority age group of those who prefer to get their news from television sources and generation needs traditional media. When finding out about Robin Williams , she still thought to turn to the TV even though she has an iPad, and I read her details from an online article. I stopped searching for confirmation of his death at the article, while she went one extra step to one more, faithful source. Watching CNN turned into an hour long event as we watched the details come together, and I realized I had put my phone down in order to focus on the reporter’s information. Suddenly, television news became my credible source and was what I used for material when continuing the conversation with my friend.

The 18-25 age group, commonly referred to as Millennials, is the turning point for traditional media. Another study in 2012 showed that 33% of Americans under the age of 30 used social media to get their news. When interviewing Americans who are active on social media, 36% (a 17% increase) stated they received news from social networks.

Whether users are active on social networking or not, the graphic above shows more people are exposed to some form of news on a social networking site. However, a study by USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism reported 51% of users of social media users recognized that a only very small portion of news posted on sites such as Facebook or Twitter is completely reliable. This recognition is important because these users must turn to another news source to find the most accurate details. A survey by Knowledge Networks claimed “60 percent of people said they turn to an established outlet as their “second source” to learn more.” Established outlets such as CNN or the New York Times are still valuable news sources, showing that traditional media are oftentimes useful for accuracy checks.

Statistics have shown the beating traditional media has received in the last five years, yet traditional media are not totally obsolete. Newspapers are now charging for online, digital content. An online newspaper offers the same printed content as a physical newspaper. People who read online newspapers know they are reading a newspaper and can distinguish newspaper articles from other web articles. Some argue that a newspaper is still a newspaper even if it is online. So far, there is not a frontrunner in online news that started completely online. When nationwide or global events occur, long-running news sources such as the New York Times, CNN and Fox News are used both offline and online because they have established credibility.

In what appears to be a completely digital world, traditional media are not yet “dying.” Media are re-inventing their original content and purpose into a form that Millennials will appreciate.